Exercising device



(Np Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. FELDEN.

EXERGISING DEVICE.

Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

WITNESSES:

/ N VE N 70/? ATTORNEYS.

exam, PHOTOLITHOY, WASHINGTON, n. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

0. PELDEN. EXEROISING DEVICE.

(No Model.)

A TTOHNE Y8.

532M BY M UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

OSCAR FELDEN, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

EXERCISING DEVICE.

SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,579, dated April30, 1895.

Application filed January 29,1895. Serial No. 586,555. (No model.)

T 0 tr whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR FELDEN, of [lenston, in the county of Harrisand State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Exercising Device,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to mute instruments; and its object is to providea new and improved exercising device for teaching beginners the correcttouch on the piano to systemat-ically develop finger technic.

The invention consists principally of a series of mute keys and twosounding devices of different pitch connected with the said keys, sothat when the latterare wrongly played, either of the two soundingdevices will be actuated.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isalike view ofthe improvement on the line 3 3 of Fig. at and showing the parts in adifferent position, and Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the same.

As is Well known the foundation of all modern playing is a connectedstyle or legato playing, that is, one tone is to sound at the exactmoment the next tone commences to sound. According to the mechanism ofthe piano, a string will vibrate and consequently the tone will sound,as long as the finger presses the key down, but as soon as the finger israised the tone ceases to sound, because the damper falls down upon thestring and stops the vibration. Furthermore, if the player wants toconnect the tones, it is necessary to hold the first key until the exactmoment when the second key is pressed down. If the first key is not heldlong enough, there will be an interval between the two tones and thetones will be disconnected. If the first key is held too long,

two tones will be heard at the same time and the result will be in mostcases, a very disagreeable dissonance.

The only way to produce the right legato touch, is to hold the palm ofthe hand and the wrist still, while the fingers are striking the keysfrom the third or metacarpal joint. This requires strength of thefingers, and consequently, finger exercises to make the fingers strongand independent of each other. In order to aid beginners to properlyexercise to obtain this legato touch is the object of the inventionpresently to be described in detail.

On a suitably constructed frame A is arranged a series of keys l), B, BB B, pivoted at O and provided at their rear ends with eyes D, throughwhich extends the cord E, also passing through the eyes D arrangedalternately with the eyes D, and secured on a fixed transverse beam A,secured to the frame A. The cord E passes under pulleys F, arranged atthe ends of the beam A, the cord then extending upward from both pulleysto connect with the rear end of a lever G, fulcrumed at G on suitablestandards A forming part of the frame A. This lever G is provided at itsfront end with a tube G closed at the front and open at the rear, as isplainly shown in Fig. 2, the said tube containing a ball G", restingnormally on the closed end of the tube G3 as the lever G stands in aninclined position.

At the rear end of the lever t} is held a bell G adapted to face theopen end of the tube G so that when the lever G is swung into theposition shown in Fig. 3, then the cord E is pulled, and the ball Grolls along the tube G and against the bell G so as to sound the latter.A spring G connects the front end of the lever G with a cushioned rail Aextending transversely and. forming part of the frame. This spring Gnormally holds the lever G in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2.

Over the rear ends of the keys B, B, B B and B is arranged a lever II,fulcrumed at 11 on the frame A, and provided at its under side with acushioned rail H normally resting on the rear ends of the keys B to B,so that when either of the latter is pressed, an upward swinging motionis imparted to the lever II. On the rear or free end of the said leverIf is secured an eye H engaged by a transversely extending arm I,fulcrumed at l in a suitable bracket A erected on the frame A. The arm Iis connected by a loop 1 with a striker J, fulcrumed at J in the bracketA directly below the arm I. The striker J is adapted to sound the bellK, secured on the frame A.

The operation is as follows: When the keys B to B are played with thecorrect touch, neither of the two bells G or K will be sounded, it beingunderstood that the correct touch consists in holding one key down untilthe 5 exact moment the next key is struck, but if the keys are playedwith the wrong touch, either of the two bells G or K will be sounded.There are two mistakes possible in playing the keys. The first is thatthe player may to hold the first key too long after the second key isstruck, and in this case, the two keys, on account of being pressed,pull on the cord E sufficiently to cause a swinging of the lever G aspreviously described, see Figs. 3 and 4:, i5 so that ball G rolls downthe tube G and strikes the bell G to sound the latter. It is understoodthat as long as one key only is pressed, the lever G is only movedslightly out of its inclined position, shown in Fig. but as soon as thesecond key is pressed to the bottom, then the lever G swings to theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the ball will commence to roll andsound the bell G The time it takes the ball to roll from the closed endof the tube to the open end near the bell G is the time allowed to raisethe finger which strikes the first key. Now if this key is held just amoment longer, the ball will reach the bell and sound the same, so as toindicate the 0 mistake made by the player. It the first finger is raisedsutficiently soon, then the spring G will return the lever G totheformer position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, without the ball strikingthe bell. Another mistake possible is that the player may not hold thefirst key down until the second key is struck, thus causing an intervalbetween the two tones. This mistake is indicated by the lever II raisingthe arm I to actuate the striker J to'sound 40 the bell K, which latter,for the purpose of distinction, is of a different pitch to that of thebell G As soon as a key is struck, the lever H is raised up before thelever reaches the highest point, to raise by the arm I and loop I thestriker J. Now, it the first key is not held down until the second keyis struck, or in other words, if the lever II is not kept at the highestpoint during the transfer of the pressure from the first to the secondkey, and the first lever is lowered in the least, then the striker Jwill fall upon the bell K and sound the same, to indicate to the playerthe mistake he has made.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described, the device will be asure and unerring guide to the beginner to acquire the correct touch,and as soon as the user has the proper touch, then neither of the bellsG or K will be sounded, but as soon as the player makes one of the twomistakes mentioned, the corresponding bell G or K will be sounded.

The device is very simple and durable in construction, does not take upvery much room and can be conveniently carried from place to place andset upon a table for practice.

It is understood that I do not limit myself to the number of keys shownand described, as the same may be increased or diminished withoutdeviating from my invention.

In order to regulate the pressure necessary to actuate the keys I to B,a spring t of a different tension may be employed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as newand desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. In an exercising device, the combination ofa series of keys, asounding device adapted to be operated from the keys,and means actuated by the simultaneous release and operation,respectively, of two of said keys, for holding the sounding device outof operation, substantially as set forth.

2. In an exercising device, the combination of a series of keys, twosounding devices, means actuated by continuous simultaneous pressure ontwo keys for actuating one sounding device, means for actuating theother sounding device from each of the keys, and means actuated by thesimultaneous release and pressure respectively of two keys, for holdingthe last named sounding device out of operation, substantially as setforth.

8. In an exercising; device, the combination of a series of keys, asounding device, means comprising a movable bar for actuating thesounding device, and a connection between the respective keys and themovable bar, adapted to operate the bar to actuate the sounding devicewhen two of the keys are continuously and simultaneously pressed,substantially as set forth.

4;. An exercising device, provided with a sounding device adapted to beactuated from. the keys and comprising a bell, a striker adapted tosound the bell, a pivoted arm having a loop connection with the saidstriker, and a lever adapted to be actuated from the keys and pivotallyconnected with the said pivoted arm, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. An exercising device, comprising a series of mute keys, a cordloosely connected with eyes on the said keys, the cord also passingthrough fixed eyes over which passes the said cord, a spring-pressedlever connected with the cord, a tube held on the lever and containing aball, and a bell attached to the said lever in front of the open end ofthe tube, substantially as shown and described.

(5. In an exercising device, the combination of a series of keys, asounding device, means, comprising a movable piece for actuating thesounding device, means actuated by the press me of one key for settingsaid piece in position to actuate the sounding device and means actuatedby the simultaneous pressure of another key, for operating said piece toactuate the sounding device, substantially as set forth.

OSCAR FELDEN.

IVitnesses:

I. H. LILI-ENTI-LXL, E. GERHART.

